Joshua Becker, author and founder of beminimalist.com, joins Cas on the podcast. They discuss sensible minimalism and share how you can make that change for yourself.
We hear people describe their clutter as suffocating. They feel as if they are drowning, crushed by its presence. Our property is getting bigger. This is the problem Joshua talks about in his work.
Are your things taking you away from the life you want to live?
We often underestimate how much effort goes into maintaining and accumulating our property. Think about the time spent researching a purchase. Once you own something, you devote energy to cleaning it, repairing it, and then replacing it. Cas describes this as “fractions of a second that add up to minutes, even days.” Things accumulate until they interfere with your principles and the life you want to live.
How can you go from being lost to having the freedom of having little things?
Joshua said “Don’t just disperse, reduce your identity.” This is something that he sees as affecting many people. Most of the time we face the problem only on the surface. We give out a small amount but don’t ask why things are piling up. The process should include a change of perspective. This means adding purpose to your life. This can mean decisions about your possessions, your money, your energy, and your time.
How do you start to despise your things?
In the podcast, Joshua and Cas discuss how to add permanence to decluttering. Focus on a few ideas on how to change the way you think, including:
Start with intention in one small area of your life
That’s why decluttering is often the first step. Paying more attention to our possessions helps us see the benefits of simplicity.
We then become more intentional in other aspects of life. The next step would be to free yourself from unnecessary obligations, goals, or obligations.
Surround yourself with messages that support positive change
We all know that materialism is bad. We rarely hear about the benefits of avoiding it. Remind yourself of what you gain by having less. Think about what it would mean to have more time for hobbies, goals, or relationships.
Resist the average of 5000 ads you see per day. This also means being intentional about the content you use. Creators like Cas, Joshua, or Little Mama can help you explore the concept of living with less.
Fear the right thing
What if I lose something I need? What if I’m doing it all wrong? What if I remove too much?
Joshua says these are not the right questions. Instead, ask “what if I keep hoarding?” What are you missing out on if you spend all your time thinking about your clutter?
Deal with identity clutter
Separate the identity from the things associated with it. Remind yourself, you can read well without keeping every book you’ve ever bought. You can be a good artist without having all kinds of supplies in your home. Working a little can also spark your creativity!
Ask yourself the right questions
Why did I stop? Does this serve a purpose in my life? Is this helping me become the person I want to be? What do I value most? Is this consistent with those values?
I hope these ideas have inspired you to explore life a little more. To hear Cas and Joshua’s entire conversation, watch the full podcast episode on YouTube.